Escape ladder



Apfi'fi 11, 1967 v, v, TEACH 3,313,3Y4

ESCAPE LADDER Filed May 12, 1966 52 7; I q l l 7| 68 34 58 b F G 3 5 7O 4 I :74 IO INVENTOR. 76 W VIRGIL. TEACH 54 I 44 BY WW 46 0 g 48 ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice 3,313,374 Patented Apr. 11, 1967 3,313,374 ESCAPE LADDER Virgil V. Teach, 3427 NE. 81st Ave., Portland, Oreg. 97213 Filed May 12, 1966, Ser. No. 549,576 8 Claims. (Cl. 18289) This application comprises a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 424,260, filed Feb. 12, 1965, for Escape Ladder and now abandoned.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in escape ladders and more particularly pertains to a ladder arranged to be mounted on the side of a building to provide a fire escape for persons from upper floors.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an escape ladder associated with novel means for mounting it on the side wall of a building adjacent a window whereby to position the ladder in as inconspicuous manner as possible when not in use but to position it in an easily accessible position adjacent the window when needed.

A more particular object is to provide an escape ladder of the type described having mounting structure therefor which supports the ladder in a non-use position fiat against the building in spaced relation from the window but which is arranged automatically to swing the ladder to an outward use position when an occupant of the building releases the ladder; and furthermore to provide in combination with such ladder mounting structure spring and latch means operable on the ladder whereby said ladder is held in a latched position parallel with the wall of the building but when released by the latch structure swings automatically to a position adjacent the window.

Another object is to provide an escape ladder which in a non-use position lies flat against the building but which is arranged to swing to an outward use position and furthermore which employs spring operated drive means which are released from the inside of the building.

Another object is to provide an escape ladder of the type described which has supportin and operating structure facilitating mounting of the ladder on either the left or right side of the window.

Additional objects will become apparent from the following specification and claims, considered together with the accompanying drawings, wherein the numerals of reference indicate like parts.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 illustrates in front elevation an escape ladder of the present invention installed on a wall of a building adjacent a window;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a enlarged sectional view take on the line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line S5 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now in particular to the drawings, the numeral 1t) designates a wall of a building and the numeral 12 designates an upper story window bounded by the usual window frame 14. It is the purpose of the present escape ladder to provide easy escape for occupants from the upper story window in the fastest possible and safest manner.

The structure comprises a conventional straight ladder 16 having side rails 18 and interconnecting steps 20. As best seen in FIGURE 3, which comprises a sectional view extending vertically through a portion of the ladder, steps 20 are tubular in construction and have end peripheral grooves 22 for integral connection with the rails 18. In a usual construction, the tubular steps 20 are open at their ends, and according to principles of the present invention a pair of upper and lower steps 20 have end inserts or bushings 24 and 26 which serve to connect the ladder to upper and lower rigid mounting arms 28. More particularly, inserts 24 are securely mounted within one of the open ends of the steps 20, as by a press fit and have central bores 30 for receiving the arms 28. Set screws 32 in the bushings 24 engage the arms 28 for securing the bushings and arms integrally together. The bushings 26 are securely mounted in the other open end of the steps 20 but have abutting relation with the end of the arms 23 and are secured thereto by screws 34 extending axially through the bushings and threadedly engaging the arms'ZS. The ladder, being supported on a pair of the arms 28, will hold to a safe margin the maximum weight which may be put on the ladder.

The ladder and the arms 28 are supported on the wall 10 by an upper bracket member 34 and a lower bracket member 36. Each of the upper and lower bracket members has a fiat back wall 40, FIGURE 4, and upper and lower integral flanges 42 and 44, respectively, FIG- URE 3, which project outwardly in parallel relation with each other. The back wall 40 of each of the bracl ets extends vertically above and below the flanges 42 and 44 to form attaching portions 46 which receive lag screws 48 or the like by means of which the brackets are secured to the building.

As best seen in FIGURE 4, the outer ends of the flanges 42 and 44 are rounded, and also with reference to FIG- URE 3, the area between the two flanges is closed by a cover portion 50, this cover portion being U-shaped in cross section and having its rearward or free end portions seated in vertical notches 52 in the back Wall 40. The upper and lower ends of the cover portion 59 are open and these upper and lower ends are likewise engaged in notches 54 in the upper and lower flanges 42 and 44, respectively. The notched engagement of the cover 50 with the back wall and the flange portions provides a substantially tight seal to prevent dirt, water, snow or the like from reaching the interior of the brackets. Covers 50 are held on the brackets by screws 56, FIGURE 4, threadedly engaging the flanges 42 and 44.

Journaled in the upper and lower flanges 42 and 44, respectively, of the brackets 34 and 36 are upright shafts 58 which are connected to respective ones of the arms 28 in right angular relation by elbow 60 whereby the ladder is adapted to swing on a vertical axis relative to the brackets. The elbow 60 receives the arms 28 and the shafts 58 in any suitable manner for securing them nonrotatably and non-slidably together. It is desired, however, that in the upper bracket 34 the elbow 60 have a construction facilitating fast temporary release from its respective shaft 58 whereby the shaft and the elbow may be relatively rotated to a new position. In order to 'accomplish such convenient adjustment, and with reference to FIGURE 5 as well as FIGURE 3, the downwardly projecting portion of the elbow 60 has a split clamp structure 64 associated with a clamp bolt 66 which may easily be loosened but which when tightened provides a positive grip on the shaft 53. Also, it is to be understood that the lower bracket 36, while providing journaled assistance to the upper bracket for the ladder, employs merely such journaled structure so far described but does not include operating mechanism now to be described. Such operating mechanism exists only in the upper bracket and comprises a collar 68 secured to the shaft 58, by means of a set screw 70, and having a tension spring 71 coiled therearound. One end of the spring is secured to the collar by an anchor pin 71a, FIGURE 3, and the other end is secured to the back wall 40 by anchor means 7117, FIGURE 6. The spring 71 is coiled in the proper direction around the collar 68 and is of sufiicient strength such that it is capable of rotating the ladder from a position fiat against the house to a position in front of the window, as will be more apparent hereinafter.

Also mounted on the shaft 58 of the upper bracket is a latch wheel 72, this latch wheel having an integral hub 74 secured to the shaft 58 by a set screw 76 in the hub. As best seen in FIGURE 4, latch wheel 72 has a pair of notches or detents 78 and 80 provided in its peripheral edge and spaced approximately 150 degrees apart. The edge of the wheel 72 along the short distance between the notches 78 and 80 is cut down to a lesser diameter than the edge extending the long distance between the notches, thus forming in the notches one short wall portion 82 and an extended or long wall portion 83.

Associated with the latch wheel 72 is a latch bar 84, FIGURE 4, pivotally mounted at one of its ends to lower flange 44 by means of a pivot pin 86. The opposite end of the latch bar 84 has a pull cable 88 connected thereto which extends through an aperture 90 in the back wall 40 and also through an aperture 92 which extends fully through the wall of the dwelling. The pull cable 88 terminates in a knob 94 which facilitates convenient operation of the latch bar 84 from inside the dwelling.

Latch bar 84 has an integral upstanding pin 96 arranged for engagement with notches 78 and 30, and such latch bar is urged toward the wheel 72 by a compression spring 98 hearing between the back wall 40 and the latch bar.

To install the ladder, the brackets 34 and 36 are mounted on the wall 10 in an appropriate place relative to the window, and more particularly one where the ladder when not in use lies flat against the wall away from the window but which when pivoted on the brackets is disposed adjacent the window so that occupants can conveniently reach it. The notches 78 and 80 are arranged so as either to hold the ladder fiat against the wall 10, as shown in full lines in FIGURE 2, or to hold the ladder in an acute angular position relative to the window as shown in dotted lines in this same figure. That is, the ladder will be held fiat against the wall 10 when the latch pin 96 is in engagement with notch 78 but when the latch bar is pulled away from the wheel by operation of the pull cable 88, the latch pin is released from the notch 78 and the spring 71 rotates the shaft 58 as well as the ladder mechanism in a clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGURE 4, to the acute angular position shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 2. The ladder is stopped in the angular use position by engagement of latch pin 96 in the notch 80.

The acute angular disposition of the ladder makes it easy to reach by the occupants and furthermore spaces it slightly from the house in the event that flames may exist on the exterior of the house.

The extended wall portion 83 of the notches 78 and 80 insure that the latch pin 96 will catch in said notches as the latch wheel rotates and particularly when the latter is in the process of rotating with the ladder to the use position of the latter adjacent the window. In a preferred arrangement the latch bar 84 is arranged so that so that when it is fully retracted by operation of the pull cable 88 it will clear the short wall 82 of the notches but not the extended wall 83, whereby if an occupant maintains a steady pull on the cable 88 even after the ladder has reached its use position, the latch pin 96 will nevertheless catch the extended wall portion 83 and stop the ladder in such use position.

The arrangement of parts shown is for mounting the ladder on the right side of the window. For mounting the ladder on the left side of the window, the brackets are installed accordingly and furthermore the spring 71 is rewrapped in the opposite direction from that shown and the sleeve 60 of the top bracket adjusted rotatably on the shaft 58 in order that the ladder mounting arms 23 will extend leftward from the brackets. In order to adjust the sleeve 60 on the shaft 58 the clamp bolt 66 is loosened and after the proper adjustment is made such bolt is again tightened. With the ladder extending leftward, the holding position therefor is accomplished by the notch and the notch 78 then comprises the positioning notch for the ladder in its use position. Notch 78 thus holds the ladder in an acute angular position relative to the window but in a direction opposite from that shown in FIGURE 2.

In accordance with the present invention there is thus provided an escape ladder which normally is disposed in an inconspicuous position against the wall of the house but which swings to a convenient use position merely by the operation of a lever disposed interiorly of the house. The present escape apparatus operates automatically to move a ladder from a non-use position to a position for easy reach by the occupants, and furthermore said ladder is spaced from the building by the supporting arms 28 when it is in its outer position so that occupants may escape even though the wall of the building may be The ladder in its non-use position, being flush against the side of the building, and being merely a straight ladder, does not mar the appearance of the building. Furthermore, in its non-use position, it is spaced from the window to prevent children from reaching it from the window.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An escape ladder for buildings having an upper story window, comprising a pair of side rails and interconnecting steps, at least one supporting arm integrally connected to said ladder and projecting laterally in the plane of the ladder, a mounting bracket arranged to be secured to a building, an upright shaft on said supporting arm journaled in said mounting bracket whereby said ladder is movable from a non-use position substantially parallel with the building to an outwardly angled use position adjacent to the window, latch means operably connected between said bracket and said shaft and arranged to hold said ladder releasably in its non-use position parallel with the building as well as its outwardly angled position adjacent to the window, and spring means anchored to said shaft and said bracket arranged to rotate said ladder from its non-use position to its use position.

2. The escape ladder of claim 1 including release means engageable with said latch means for releasing the latter in permitting travel of the ladder between its two positions.

3. The escape ladder of claim 1 including release means engageable with said latch means for releasing the latter in permitting travel of the ladder between its two positions, said release means comprising a pull cable arranged to extend from said latch means to a point inside the building.

4. The escape ladder of claim 1 wherein said latch means comprises a wheel member secured to said upright shaft and a latch projection movably mounted in said bracket, said wheel having a pair of notches selectively engageable by said latch projection, said latch projection being arranged to hold said wheel and said ladder in the said two positions of the latter.

5. The escape ladder of claim 1 wherein said latch means comprises a wheel member secured to said upright shaft and a spring pressed pin movably mounted in said bracket, said wheel having a pair of notches selectively engageable by said pin, said pin being arranged to hold.

said wheel and said ladder in the said two positions of the latter.

6. The escape ladder of claim 1 wherein said latch means comprises a wheel member secured to said upright shaft and a spring pressed pin movably mounted in said bracket, said wheel having a pair of notches selectively engageable by said pin, said pin being arranged to hold said wheel and said ladder in the said two positions of the latter and also being arranged to automatically engage one of said notches to stop the ladder in its travel from its non-use position to its use position.

7. The escape ladder of claim 1 wherein said ladder comprises a straight ladder and is arranged to lie fiat against the building away from the window in its nonuse position.

8. An escape ladder for buildings having an upper story window comprising a pair of side rails and interconnecting steps, at least one supporting arm integrally connected to said ladder and projecting laterally in the plane of the ladder, a mounting bracket rotatably receiving said supporting arm whereby said ladder is movable from a position substantially parallel with the building to an outwardly angled position, and means adjustably connecting said mounting arm to said mounting bracket whereby said ladder may be supported on either the left or right side of a WiIIClOW.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 269,377 12/1882 Bessier 182-77 573,165 12/1896 Scherrer 182-21 591,693 10/1897 Rentsch 16-145 956,183 4/1910 Scherrer c 182-89 2,670,968 3/1954 Duffy 182-89 2,962,113 11/ 1960 Heimlicher 182-94 FOREIGN PATENTS 578,749 7/1946 Great Britain.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN ESCAPE LADDER FOR BUILDINGS HAVING AN UPPER STORY WINDOW, COMPRISING A PAIR OF SIDE RAILS AND INTERCONNECTING STEPS, AT LEAST ONE SUPPORTING ARM INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO SAID LADDER AND PROJECTING LATERALLY IN THE PLANE OF THE LADDER, A MOUNTING BRACKET ARRANGED TO BE SECURED TO A BUILDING, AN UPRIGHT SHAFT ON SAID SUPPORTING ARM JOURNALED IN SAID MOUNTING BRACKET WHEREBY SAID LADDER IS MOVABLE FROM A NON-USE POSITION SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE BUILDING TO AN OUTWARDLY ANGLED USE POSITION ADJACENT TO THE WINDOW, LATCH MEANS OPERABLY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID BRACKET AND SAID SHAFT AND ARRANGED TO HOLD SAID LADDER RELEASABLY IN ITS NON-USE POSITION PARALLEL WITH THE BUILDING AS WELL AS ITS OUTWARDLY ANGLED POSITION ADJACENT TO THE WINDOW, AND SPRING MEANS ANCHORED TO SAID SHAFT AND SAID BRACKET ARRANGED TO ROTATE SAID LADDER FROM ITS NON-USE POSITION TO ITS USE POSITION. 